Secret History of a Rosicrucian

to provide. A society that grants or promises its members even a few minutes of such a beneficial elevation of the feeling of sociability—of the purest enjoyment of humanity original: "Menschheit"; in this era, the term referred to the ideal of refined human nature and universal brotherhood.—must inevitably gain charm for unspoiled people. However, it must never fall into the temptation of trying to bind this delicate bond with chains that seem stronger only because they are coarser.

This is such a simple truth that it is not even necessary to state it before a mistake is made that makes doing so necessary and—at the same time—useless. Into the image we create for ourselves of such a society, an unspoiled imagination original: "Phantasie" will naturally not introduce any feature that could disfigure the delicate beauty of the whole or destroy the fine proportion of the parts. We will not expect to find any of those passions In the 18th century, "passions" (Leidenschaften) were intense emotions or desires that could drive great actions but were often seen as forces needing to be tempered by reason and sociability. there which calm life by filling it with activity—passions which prompt great deeds, but never become amiable unless they submit to the beneficial superiority of those noble forces that must be solely active in a society which aims to ennoble the feelings of humanity.

Cephrinus A pseudonym for the protagonist, likely used to protect the identity of the person whose Masonic journey is being described. imagined Freemasonry original: "Freymaurerey" to be such a connection, based on the favorable prejudices that the speeches and actions of his friends had instilled in him. He wished

Vocabulary: Society, Humanity, Imagination, Passions, Cephrinus, Freemasonry